There are many American artists who have held a significant place in the history of American art. However, few have had as significant of an influence as Winslow Homer. Homer, being a part of the American Realism movement, painted marvelous watercolors. Homer had a unique style which contributes to him being one of the most important artists of the 19th century.
Winslow Homer’s exposure to art began early, as his mother, Henrietta Benson Homer, was a watercolor painter who taught him at an early age (Cooper 16). Soon, Winslow began to work at a lithographic firm where he earned five dollars a day for ten hours of work. He called this job slavery as he could use none of his own creativity, and it was hard work (Kelly 17). Though it is not know what Winslow Homer actually learned from his apprenticeship, it is known that he copied sheet music covers (Kelly 17). Eventually, Homer got to use his own creativity in his apprenticeship by submitting illustrations for magazines and newspapers (Kelly 17). One of these newspapers called “Harper’s Weekly” sent him to make paintings of the Civil War (Kelly 17). At this point in his life, his painting career had truly taken off. After temporarily leaving, he would return to the war, to paint for two more years (Kelly 21-22). By sketching daily life at the front of battle, Homer took these drawings back home to make works that are greatly appreciated paintings of the war (Mann).
Homer then sailed to France to further study and improve in art. Although it has not confirmed, it is thought that during this trip he may have visited the Universal Exposition. He may have also seen the works of the Japanese and Impressionists at the time (Kelly 32). Later, Winslow also visited England. When he painted there, he diverted a lot from his usual style. His works became much more conventional and mature (Cikovsky 14). Right after he returned from England, he moved from where he was living in New York, New York to Prout’s Neck, Maine. Most of Homer’s paintings of Prout’s Neck were done with oils (Cikovsky 12-13). While living in Maine, Homer would travel during the winter to get out of the cold. He went to the Adirondacks where he not only painted but also fished and hunted, and the paintings depicted what he saw on his journeys to the Adirondacks (Cikovsky 14). In the watercolors painted there, mortality became a presence even though he remained healthy and active (Cikovsky 15).
Homer was an important artist in the American Realism movement. Although he studied French Realism by looking at the works of Edouard Manet and studying works of the Japanese on his trip to France, Homer’s artwork reflected American Realism (Kelly 33). As stated by Cooper, “Whereas Homer’s pictorial motifs were uniquely American, his painting style was derived from earlier English Sources” (32). He also focused on American life. For example in the 1870s, Homer painted watercolors of rural childhood in America and other aspects of American life (Cooper 25). “In the late 1860s, Homer like many American artists…came under the influence of the Barbizon School an integral part of which was an interest in the relationship between man and nature” (Cooper 52). Later when Homer moved to Prout’s Neck, he focused on nature (Cooper 124). Homer was not only American but kept his Americanness throughout his life.
Homer’s paintings have many important aspects that contribute to their uniqueness. His lack of formal training led to his works seeming unpolished, but because of this, he had a broad style that could not be captured by a complete work (Cikovsky 9). In 1873, he began to use watercolor. His earlier watercolors were not as confidently done as some of his later ones (Cikovsky 97). His paper size also changed during the watercolor painting part of his life. In his early ones, he used 10 by 19 inch paper, but he would later use twenty by fifteen and a half inch and twelve by seventeen and a half inch paper (Cooper 34). His later watercolors were also a lot more like oil as they were dark in color (Cikovsky 8-9). Additionally, he borrowed some of the English watercolor technique of layering transparent watercolor and then subtracting it by different methods (Cooper 33).
Winslow Homer has painted many significant works, but two seem to show his style well. One of those is called Houses of Parliament. In this painting, color is important. Gray, black, and orange are used. There are mostly cool colors as it appears to be night. These colors make the viewer feel tranquil and give it a mysterious sense, and the colors are true to life as at that time it would be very gray and dark as the painting reflects. The monotonous colors put a large emphasis on the moon, its reflection, and the darker boats. The texture is also very important to the look of the painting. Although there are few or no obvious brushstrokes, there is a rough texture to the art. Though this texture is relatively consistent throughout the painting, the boats are smooth helping them to stand out from the painting. The texture in the sky seems like clouds and this repeats on the water to give the impression of a reflection. Light also contributes to the look of this painting. The source of light in the painting is visible and is natural. As the light source is the moon, it is pretty dim in the picture, and it is night in the artwork. Homer also uses light to make the buildings in the background have a gradient effect. Depth is an impoeant feature of this painting. You can distinctly tell what is in the front and what is in the back because of a feeling of dimension that makes you feel like you could walk into the painting.
The other painting is called At Tampa. The eye can see many colors in this painting including white, blue, red, and yellow. Most of the colors are cool keeping the birds the focus. The colors make the viewer feel at peace. The colors seemed true to life but with great contrast. Winslow Homer uses texture to benefit the art by using both thick and thin lines. There are visible brushstrokes, and he uses many different textures which make the scenes seem more real. The light is another important aspect, though it is not very visible because it is covered by the palm trees. The painting has natural light which is bright in some areas, but in others, it is shadowed. Composition in this painting leads the eye to different places. First, some will notice the birds. Then they may be lead toward the sky in the background. These paintings represent many aspects of his style and talents that led him to become such an influential artist.
Winslow Homer became one of the most important artists of the nineteenth century for his incredible watercolors. His paintings, most notably of water related scenes, from the American Realism movement are very unique. As it is said perfectly by John Mann, “ …Homer occupies a prized place in the pantheon of American artists, beloved for his bright watercolor landscapes and tempestuous seascapes, as well as his depictions of soldiers during the Civil War, portrayals of African-American laborers in Virginia during the Reconstruction Era, and his early illustrations of everyday New England life for Harper’s Weekly.”